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Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government is all set to formulate a Comprehensive Master Plan (CMP) for the State’s two coalfields, Talcher Coalfield and Ib Valley Coalfield.
The need for such a CMP was felt when the 31 coal blocks of the State allocated to 55 non-Coal India Limited (CIL) companies tried to have their own rail and road infrastructures separately for operation.
It would be a big mess if all the 55 companies draw their own rail and road lines for the coal blocks in a particular area, pointed out a senior state government official, adding that a common rail and road corridor is the need of the day for smooth operations in future.
All these coal blocks are geographically located in greenfield areas having no rail and road connectivity.
Moreover, no comprehensive plan exists for the two coalfields to work as a guiding or reference document for an integrated development of coal blocks allocated to non-CIL companies, the official pointed out.
Therefore, the State Government has already asked the State-owned Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco) to prepare the proposed CMP for the two coalfields through the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI), a Government of India enterprise.
Meanwhile, the Idco has assigned the responsibility of preparation of a feasibility report and a detailed project report (DPR) for a common rail-road corridor for the Talcher Coalfields to the RITES.
The Idco is also in the process of assigning to RITES the responsibility of preparation of a feasibility report and a DPR for a common rail-toad corridor project for the IB Valley coalfield, sources said.
In a move to undertake the exercise in a combined manner, the state government has decided to hold a meeting under the chairmanship of commissioner-cum-secretary of steel and mines DK Singh to review the development of the allocated coal blocks and preparation of the CMP and common rail-road corridor for the two coalfields.
The proposed meeting, to be attended by representatives of the coal block-allotted companies, is scheduled to be held here on June 5 where the companies will reveal their plans for the operation.
The meeting assumes significant from the point of view that a consensus is likely to emerge on proper and smooth operation of coalfields, feel experts.
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